Valley Navel Gazing

Naugatuck Valley leaders are expected to show up in large numbers at a press conference at 10 a.m. in Hartford Monday to advocate for more improvements to the area’s Waterbury branch train line. A public hearing on a bi-partisan Valley bill aimed at the same goal is scheduled for 11 a.m. in front of the state legislature’s transportation committee. Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller is one of the many elected officials scheduled to be there. On Friday, Miller sat down for a ‘Navel Gazing’ podcast interview with The Valley Indy in his office to talk about transportation. Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.

A group of eighth graders sneaked into the Derby Community Center after hours Feb. 7. Click play to learn about what they did once inside. Also, the future of Factory Street in the Derby downtown redevelopment zone could change after a meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 18) in Derby City Hall. The episode concludes with audio clips from the Feb. 13 meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen, where there was some disagreement over the appointment of a city Democrat to a charter revision commission. Music by The Bad Slugs. The podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.

Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan and his chief of staff Andrew Baklik answer about 20 questions posed from Valley Indy readers. Topics include downtown redevelopment, the Route 34 widening project, taxes, crime, a lawsuit and much more.

Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller returns to NAVEL GAZING: THE VALLEY INDY PODCAST to take town-related questions from people on Valley Indy Facebook. Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org

Chris Bowen, an elected member of the Seymour Board of Selectmen, joins reporter Eugene Driscoll to comment on the comments generated by stories The Valley Indy posted to Facebook. Among the Facebook posts discussed: Ansonia Alderwoman suggests the city use gender-neutral titles for local legislators; an Oxford brewery pays up after a state trooper crashes, and; Driscoll doesn't like aggressive door-to-door salesmen.

Joe Meyers, the former critic and features writer for The Connecticut Post, REALLY knows movies. He’s this week’s guest on ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.’ Press play to listen.

We're not done with local elections just yet! Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and Seymour Democratic Party leader Stephan Behuniak react to the referendum results in Seymour, where voters rejected borrowing $15 million for a new recreation center. Miller talks about what's next for the project. Then Behuniak gives a frank summary of his local Democratic Party, and what it's like to be a Democrat in a town that heavily favors Republicans. The pair then share their unique views on the mayoral race results in Derby, where Mayor Rich Dziekan was re-elected to a second term by a slim margin. Finally, the two share their thoughts on the heated, sometimes messy mayoral race in Ansonia.

Mayor David Cassetti says he’s earned a fourth term by shepherding economic development that has transformed Main Street, brought back manufacturing jobs and laid the foundation for major investment in long-dormant former factories downtown. The Republican is being challenged Nov. 5 by Phil Tripp, an Alderman who switched parties in May. Cassetti sat down with The Valley Indy for a podcast interview last week. No questions or topics were provided in advance of the interview.

Second Ward Alderman Phil Tripp says he should be elected mayor because he’s a consensus builder who has dedicated his life to public service -- first in the National Guard, and then as an Ansonia legislator. Tripp is challenging incumbent Mayor David Cassetti, a Republican trying for his fourth two-year term as the city’s top elected position.

Sharon Closius, the president and CEO of The Valley Community Foundation, returns to the podcast to talk about "Valley Gives Back," a planned giving initiative from her organization. Closius runs down what planned giving is, and how the average Naugatuck Valley resident can use ValleyGivesBack.org to help the nonprofit groups and organizations that do so much good every day. Just press play to listen!

Mayor Rich Dziekan sits down with The Valley Indy to talk about what he's done in his two years as Derby's top elected official. Dziekan, a Republican, is running for a second, two-year term. Election Day is Nov. 5.  This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.

Brian Coppolo, the firefighter running as a Democrat against incumbent Mayor Rich Dziekan, promised to bring transparency and professionalism the City Hall’s top floor if residents vote for him Nov. 5.  Coppolo recently sat down with The Valley Indy for a wide-ranging podcast interview about the issues facing Derby. Please click play to listen to the entire interview.  This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org, an initiative of The Valley Community Foundation.

The updated Valley Community Index is scheduled to be unveiled at a public forum 8 a.m. Oct. 22 at Scinto Auditorium, 3 Corporate Drive in Shelton. The document gives a snapshot of the Valley and provides a wealth of data -- data that can be used to improve life in the Naugatuck Valley. In this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ Valerie Knight-DiGangi, a program officer with The Valley Community Foundation, gives an overview of the index and how it can be used to benefit your neighbors. This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org Music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.

Seymour's Rob Caprilozzi talks about his new documentary, 'Halloween in a Box," which will be available on streaming platforms such as Amazon and Google Play on Oct. 1. The doc is about the companies behind those old-school plastic Halloween costumes, and how the Tylenol poisonings of 1982 almost canceled Halloween and nearly destroyed an industry. Rob and his wife, Christine, own Horror News Network and organize the annual CT Horror Fest. This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org. 'Ride the Dinosaur' is courtesy of The Bad Slugs.

The Valley Indy's CT PODCAST INVITATIONAL continues with Steven Christina of "Super Retro Throwback Reviews." It's an eclectic podcast that touches upon movies, games and all things pop culture. Christina fills us in on his place to take over the podcast universe, one ear drum at a time. "Super Retro" has a booth Sept. 14 at the CT Horror Fest in Naugatuck, and Christina will be a guest at this month's RetroWorld Expo, happening Sept. 28 and 29 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. "Ride the Dinosaur" is courtesy of The Bad Slugs.

Pinhead's coming to Naugatuck! That's in Connecticut if you're reading or listening from outside the area. The CT Horror Fest is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Naugatuck Event Center, 6 Rubber Ave. There will be horror celebrity autographs and photos, along with Q&A panels and a dealer's room for all things horror-centric. Press play to listen to an interview with Christine Bucci-Caprilozzi, the co-founder of the event, which is in its sixth year. She lives in the Seymour area.

The Valley Indy’s “CT PODCAST INVITATIONAL” continues this week with Andrew Morgan, the host of “The NOMCAST (Netflix Original Movie Podcast).” Netflix, in its quest for streaming domination, is spending billions on creating and/or buying original content. The company has very much changed the game and could be emerging as a challenger to movie theaters. Example -- legendary director Martin Scorsese’s latest film “The Irishmen,” which teams him again with Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, is scheduled to stream in November after a limited theatrical run. Morgan and a guest have a deep discussion of the latest Netflix original movies during each “NOMCAST” episode. Morgan, by the way, is a Milford resident with a background in film and television. He’s also a standup comedian who runs, with his brother, Jerry, the Fistful of Jokes website. https://fistfulofjokes.com/the-nomcast

The Flood of 1955 devastated the Naugatuck Valley 64 years ago this month. In this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ you’ll hear the voices of people who there, including the late Ed Cotter of Derby and Charles Seccombe. The episode features the work of former Valley Indy reporter Jodie Mozdzer Gil, now an assistant professor of journalism at Southern Connecticut State University.

Actor David Naughton will appearing at the CT Horror Fest, scheduled for Sept. 14, 2009. Naughton, a Connecticut native, starred in "An American Werewolf in London," one of the best damn movies ever made. I also chat him up about "My Sister Sam."

John Amenta of the Connecticut-based podcast PINT O' COMICS chats with The Valley Indy about his podcast's history, the Pint O' Comics radio show, CT Cult Classics, YouTube, the damn Marvel cinematic universe, Stranger Things 3, and whether his pop culture tastes have changed as he's grown older.